The Chocolate Factory
by ScarletChaser
Summary: Mikan, a poor teenager, lost her father and fled to live with her uncle Narumi in his small farm. To help him, she gets a job as a cleaning girl in the town's chocolate factory. She enrolls into the local school where she is instantly unpopular due to her low social status. She is the ugly duckling of the school, but she manages to capture the heart of the handsome Natsume Hyuuga.
1. The Flight

Konnichiwa beautiful people! This is my first published fanfic, so exciting! I hope you guys enjoy this Gakuen Alice fan fiction, titled "The Chocolate Factory" (I knoww...not very original, but I might /might not change it in the future). This fanfic is loosely based on this Brazilian telenovela I watched when I was a wee-little child and I thought it'd be really cool with the Gakuen Alice characters. Please leave any comments, suggestions, critiques. Again, I'm new to this, so any advice and constructive criticism is helpful. We're all writers here and we all want to improve in our craft. So let's help one another and not bring each down. Enjoy ^^

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice nor the Brazilian soap opera!

Note: Mikan is about 17 years old.

* * *

Chapter the First: The Flight

South Japan, 1922

Mikan Sakura woke to the sound of her father's frantic voice.

"Mikan, get up. You have to get up", he shook her shoulders. "Get up, please!"

Mikan sat up quickly and jammed her glasses into her face, taking in his expression and wild hair. "Father, what's going on?" But no soon were the words out of her mouth, did she suddenly hear the sound of hoofs outside her house. Horses. And yelling. She gasped. She could make out the flicker of fire outside her window. She became scared. "Father, what's going on? What's all this noise?"

"The bandits. They've come to take our land. Our home." He pulled her out of her bed."You have to go now!"

Mikan let his words sink in as Izumi pulled her out of bed and hurriedly draped a cloak over her nightgown. She zoned out her father, who was frantically explaining something to her, and focused on the noise outside. She could hear the horses pawing at the ground and neighing about. The shadows of the fire licked across her window pane. But the worst sound of all was what she heard next.

"Izumi, you coward! Come out and face me like a man!" He sneered loudly. "Or I'll drop my torch and burn down your house with you and your daughter in it." The men yelled even louder. "Or better yet, why don't you give me that daughter of yours and I'll spare this little piece of rock you call a home. I can have all sorts of fun with her." She heard laughing and whistling. She shivered.

She snapped out of her daze as her father pushed her towards the back door. "Wait, no...", she shook her head and held her foot in place. "No, Father, stop!" She looked up at his face. "I don't want to run away. I want to stay here with you and defend what's ours!"

"Mikan. Mikan, you can't. You can't. I can't let those men get you. Hurt you. You're the only one I have left." Tears welled up in his eyes and Mikan couldn't stop her eyes from tearing up as well. Izumi's voice cracked. "I can't lose you too."

"Then you're coming with me." It wasn't a question.

"No. I can't run away. I have to defend what's ours or die trying. I have to stay to protect you. To protect the memory of your mother."

At those words, Mikan broke down. There was no way she could dissuade her father. He was going to stay and die. She clung to him tightly, not wanting to let him go. "Father...", she sobbed.

"No matter what happens Mikan, always remember that I will always be watching over you from up there." He motioned upwards. "I want you get a train, go to your uncle's. He will take care of you." He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away little. He gave her a smile filled with tears. "I want you to go to school and study and be somebody someday. To have a better future than me."

Mikan sobbed harder and hugged him closer. He kissed her tear-stained cheeks and brushed back her long auburn hair. "Promise me you'll do that. For me. For your mother." He looked into her hazel eyes. "Promise me." Her lips quivered, but she managed to choke out."I promise..."

Something slammed against the door. "Izumi, you bastard!"

"Go now, Mikan!" Izumi opened the back door and pushed Mikan out. Mikan reached out her hand towards her father one last time. Her fingers brushed his. He gave her a heartbroken smile. "I love you Mikan." And gave her a final push, to urge her to run.

She almost tripped as she ran across the yard, pushing linens and clothes hanging in the clotheslines away. She hurried into the dark trees. Her breath started coming in heavy and her legs began to ache, but she pushed on. She suddenly became distracted at a sound that tore into her heart and she tripped over the fallen branches and landed hard against the ground. She looked back at the direction she came from and cried out even louder. What she had heard was the unmistakable sound of a pistol.

She couldn't dwell too much on the fate of her father, for she heard the angered cries of the men soon after. They discovered her missing and will soon be coming after her. She pushed herself up and forward and continued her track. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, all she knew was that she had to get as far away as possible from the sounds of the men pursuing her, coming ever closer.

Mikan came upon a short,steep hill and before she could slow her steps, she slipped and rolled down to the bottom, where her shoulder slammed into a boulder. She cried out from the sudden pain, and remembering her situation, closed her mouth immediately. But it was too late. "Over there!" A man shouted.

Mikan rolled herself up once more and ran forward, holding her injured shoulder. Suddenly, she heard the neighing of a horse and stopped short. Backing up quickly and turning to flea in the direction she'd come, she was horrified to come face to face with the sneering face of a scary-looking man.

"Now, now little girl, come to daddy." Mikan didn't think it was possible but his grin became larger as he looked down her body. She glared at him with all the anger and hate she could muster. "You're not my father."

He laughed out loud. "Of course not. I killed him. But I can be so much more."

Mikan suddenly darted off the trail and into the trees. She could hear the men right behind her. The sight of that man's leering face, staring at her body, pushed her to pump her arms as hard as she could, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. She did not want to fall into his hands.

She came upon a small bridge. Instead of crossing to the other side, she quickly darted to the side, carefully climbing down the rocks and under the bridge. She held her breath and waited quietly. Within a minute, she heard the angry stomping of the horses over her head, shaking the bridge and showering her with dust and loose pebbles.

Once the sound of the stampede receded into nothing, Mikan reached her hands up to grasp the edge of the boulders and hoist herself up, but her foot slipped and she tumbled into the cold waters of the river. Her head broke through the surface of the water and she took in a breath of air. Luckily, the water wasn't too deep and the current too fast. Mikan managed to wade out of the water and flopped down onto the hard cold ground. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the sky. Fresh tears escaped her eyes, and she looked up at the brightest cluster of stars. They seemed to be winking at her, fading out and flaring up again.

A light rain began to drizzle down and blended with her tears. She turned on her side and crunched into a fetal position. Her body trembled. Not from the cold rain, but from the tears the racked her body. "I did it, Father. I got away."

* * *

Mikan stayed that way for a couple of hours. But when she saw the first signs of dawn coming, she knew she couldn't stay any longer. Her journey was not over.

Placing her now muddy glasses over her eyes, she hiked up her nightgown and began her ascent up the hill. Once she broke through the trees, she found herself across from a small farm, with sheets billowing in the light breeze on the clotheslines. A middle-aged woman, who was washing some clothes against a scrubbing board, picked her head up at the sound of shuffling feet. She took in the sight of Mikan, her nightgown muddy and wet, and rushed to her side.

"Oh my goodness, what happened to you child...", she ushered Mikan through the door and into the kitchen. "Kazuki!" She called out. The woman quickly filled a cattle of water and put it atop the fire.

"What is it Megumi..." A large man entered the kitchen, but stopped abruptly as he took Mikan in. "Sakura..."

His wife peered at him from besides the girl, whose eyes widened at the mention of her family name. "H-how do you k-know my name...sir", she stammered.

Kazuki sat opposite the child. "I know your father, we worked together down at the docks before I got this farm", he motioned around. "He used to take you there some a' days when you was little...but what happened?"

And there, Mikan broke down once again at the intense stare she was getting from the couple. But in between the sobs and breaths, she managed to explain the story to them. How she was awoken by her father in the middle of the night, and forced to flee, while he stood behind to keep the bandits from pursuing her. And the shot she heard moments later. Kazuki and Megumi stood there, mouths slightly agape, with horrified expressions.

Mikan wiped the tears away roughly. "But I want to go back", she had fierce expression on her face. "Why w-", Megumi started but was caught off by Mikan. "I want to see...with my own eyes. What happened to my Father."Megumi glanced towards Kazuki, who nodded briefly. "Well, me and Kazuki will take you. But first, you have to have clean up. Come..." She lifted Mikan up and noticed her flinch as she tried to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly. "You're hurt. We'll have to look at that as well." Megumi led Mikan towards the bathroom, where she helped her out of her wet, soggy nightgown and into the bath. She fetched some warm water and helped Mikan bathe, scrubbing her down and being careful with her shoulder.

After Mikan was all dry and dressed, she led Kazuki and Megumi down the road. After some time, she saw her house through the trees and broke into a run. "Father!" she cried out. She stopped abruptly when she saw the figure slumped on the ground, then ran towards it. She knelt besides her father's body and cried out. Megumi and Kazuki stood back a little, holding on to each other, sad expressions on their faces.

Mikan got up and turned to them. "I have to bury him, I can't leave him like this. W-will you help me?"

"Of course, of course!" Kazuki got to work digging the grave, while Megumi and Mikan found some sheets to wrap the body with.

Mikan placed a flower she picked from her garden on top of the small mound that now covered her father. "Goodbye Father", she sniffed. "I know you died to protect me. I know." Mikan looked towards the sky, where she knew her father was watching. "And I...I promise...no matter where you are, to make you proud of me for the rest of my life. I promise."

* * *

"I will never be able to thank you for what you've done for me", Mikan told Kazuki and Megumi as they stood outside the train station, waiting for the train that would take her to her uncle's. They smiled sadly at her. Megumi took hold of Mikan's hand and held it in her own. "One day, when someone needs help, help them. Today, I helped you. Tomorrow, you help someone else. That's how life should be. People helping people." Mikan smiled a that. Megumi took a small bundle from within her skirts and placed it in Mikan's hand. "It's not much, but it will get you to to where you need to be." They embraced and kissed just as the train announced its arrival.

As Mikan settled into her seat, she looked out the window towards the couple. They stood there, holding each other, smiling at her. She waved back as the train lurched forward. She tried to keep her eyes on them as long as she could, until they fell back and became too small. "Thank you..."she whispered. Silent tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. Tears of gratitude.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for taking your time to read this. I've had a lot of fun writing it, and that's just it...for fun! If you'd like to leave a review, please do so. I'm looking for constructive feedback, what you liked, what you didn't like, etc. I want to learn, and the best way to do that is with you guys! My uploading schedule is about once a week for starters (so next chapter will be up next Friday!), but as I get comfortable with the whole process, hopefully in the near future, I can upload more frequently. Have a beautiful week, until then ~ ^^


	2. The Parade

Welcome back! Here's the next chapter, I hope you guys enjoy. Just so you know, there are a couple of different scenes following different characters. Although this is mainly MxN, these characters do and will play an important part of Mikan's development throughout the story. So we're going to be following them so you know their situation and where their coming from and why they do the things they do. On with the story!

* * *

Chapter the Second: The Parade

"Stop! Stop the procession!" A middle-aged man yelled out, waving his arms around to get the attention of the parade, as it was impossible for his voice to be heard over the music.

The blaring trumpets, the beat of the drums, and the rhythmic steps of the marchers died down as the parade came to a halt over the bridge leading into the town of Shirakawa. About a hundred voices rose in confusion, complaining about the hold-up.

"Daddy!" Piped up a young woman standing at the front of the procession, hands in hips and a scowl forming in her face. "What are you doing?!"

The man clapped his hands a couple of times, clearing his throat. "I'm going to need everyone to wait here. Akuma Yamazaki has not arrived yet, and we can't start the parade without her presence." People began to grumble. "Of course she's late! Probably still trying to figure out which pair of earrings to go with her dress!" Someone snickered. The man glared in their direction. "Quiet Kitsuneme!"

"But daddy," the young woman puffed her cheeks. "I can't just stand here in this sun. My hair is going to be ruined! I'll look like a...like a...a used-up old broom. A witch!"

"That's impossible! A witch would never look half as fine as you!" A boy standing to the side gave Luna a smirk.

The man glared at the boy. "Shut it Mochiage, if you know what's good for you. That's my daughter you're talking to. Show some respect!"

Mochiage held up his hands in defense. "Sorry mister delegate sir, it's just that whenever you see a beautiful girl, you should give her the compliment she rightfully deserves. Isn't that right, Natsume?" Mochi smirked at his companion besides him.

"Hn", was all he said.

Luna sighed dreamily as she looked at Natsume, batting her eyelashes at him. "Oh, Natsume...". Her father, the delegate, looked between his daughter and Natsume. He didn't like this. Not one bit.

He shook a finger in the boys' direction. "You and you!" Mochiage gave him an 'innocent smile'. Natsume's face remained stoic. "Stay away from my daughter." He turned to his daughter. "Luna, darling, princess..." His words faltered at the look of pure venom she gave him. "Uhhh...um...", he decided to stop before upsetting her any further. He straightened his back and cleared his throat once again. "Ahem...well then...I'll be heading back into town. When I return, you can continue the procession. Until then, no funny business!" He turned on his heel and walked briskly away.

A girl with short brown hair stepped up next to Luna. "Your dad is too overprotective. How do you plan on finally getting Natsume with him breathing down your shoulder all the time."

Luna gave the girl a ruthless smile. "Oh Wakako, my daddy can't say no to me. He could never say no to any woman. I will make Natsume mine and no one will get in the way of that." The girls smiled deviously at each other.

"Wakako!" A voice called out.

She rolled her eyes at Luna. "That's my father. I have to go see what he wants." She left Luna patting down her hair before shamelessly trying to slither up to Natsume's side. She walked in the direction of the float where her father sat.

"Yes, father?" Her father was looking somewhere over the heads of the trumpet players. He looked angry. "Go get your sister". Wakako nodded and started off in the direction her father was looking towards, looking around for her sister, wondering why he looked so angry. It didn't take her long to find out, for she saw a flash of pink. Her sister's bright pink hair and smiling face came into view. And she wasn't alone.

Tsubasa Andou looked down into Misaki Harada's eyes and smiled back. She was just so utteringly beautiful. She was laughing at something he'd said, and he was completely entranced. Until the sound of someone clearing their throat brought both of them out of their own little world.

Misaki's sister, Wakako, stood there, arms folded and looking none too pleased at the sight. She looked pointedly at Misaki. "Go back to your place at the front. The procession will start soon."

Misaki sighed inwardly. _There's no use arguing with her. Or should I say...with father_. Tsubasa looked between the sisters. "She's right. I'll talk to you later... after the parade?" Before Misaki could answer, Wakako grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the front of the procession. "No, she won't."

"Misaki, you know know father doesn't like you talking with that boy" Misaki shrugged her shoulders, not really caring what her father thought. "I didn't talk to him. He came and started talking to me." She replied nonchalantly. All Wakako could do was frown at her sister's dismisiveness in return.

* * *

The chocolate factory was busier than ever as workers bustled to and fro, carrying all sorts of cakes and chocolates, chattering excitedly about the festivities happening in the town.

"This is very good...it just needs...a little more sugar. Then it'll be perfect." A man explained to a woman as she mixed the chocolate, tasting the mixture. She nodded vigorously and he left to see how others were doing. "That cake looks delicious", he said to another worker carrying a large chocolate cake decorated with strawberries. The woman beamed. "Thank you, sir."

Narumi hurried to his own work table, where his now completed chocolate model of the town hall sat. "Mr. Narumi!", a shrill voice rang out. "These cakes should have arrived at the mansion an hour ago!" The massive form of Ms. Agate stormed up to the head cook.

Narumi called a couple of young men to help transport the chocolate model to its destination. "Oh woman, you can't rush beauty. You can't rush art!" He laughed out loud.

She didn't look amused. "The celebration will start soon! The parade is probably marching into town as we speak! And-", she peered at Narumi as he removed his hat and apron off. "And what do you think you're doing!?"

"I explained yesterday that I'd have to leave early today!" He began putting his coat on. "I have to fetch my niece from the station. She's coming in from afar."

Ms. Agate moved to block the doorway. "You'll do no such thing! If these cakes aren't at the house soon, Ms. Yamazaki will kill you. And by kill you, I mean me! She will find a way to blame me for this! The woman has no mercy!"

Narumi placed a hand behind her shoulder and led her towards the dishes. He got large metal spoon and started banging it against a pot. The workers suddenly picked up their pace and worked faster. "Take these and...bang them together! That ought to get them moving quickly." He placed them in her hands. And swiftly ran out the door before she could stop him.

"Why you-", she fumed."I ought to bang these against your head!"

"Good day, Ms. Agate !" Narumi tipped his hat in her direction, then hopped onto his horse-drawn wagon and started the horses. "Alright, let's go get Mikan!"

* * *

"I will be travelling back to Shirakawa this week. To see how the factory's doing." Akuma Yamazaki heard her brother explain over the phone.

"Oh, my dear brother. The factory's just fine under my care. There's nothing worth worrying over. You need to stay there, and focus on recuperating your health." She nervously touched the pearls around her neck.

"I rather find that my health would be greatly improved if I were to go back. Be with my family, and do some work. I'm just wasting away here with nothing to do. Besides, I've already purchased a ticket, so don't try to talk me out of it. I'll be there by the end of the week."

"Of course...if you insist. Whatever is best for my dear brother. Sorry Suzuki, I have to go. The festival you see...Right, right. Goodbye." She slammed the phone down, grabbed her glass of water and downed the whole thing in one gulp. She looked at herself in the mirror and started laughing softly. "Oh, Akuma. Look what you've gotten yourself into. Your dear ani's coming back to take over the command of the factory. He's going to look into the finances, find some money missing..." There was a sudden knock on her bedroom door. "What?!"

The door opened a little to reveal a girl, with long blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. "Mother...the carriage is all ready for us to go. The townsfolk are all waiting on us."

"Right, right, I'm going", she waved her hand dismissively. "Get in the carriage." The girl quickly left and ran down the stairs. "What did I tell you about running! Young ladies walk, not run!" The running footsteps stopped. "That girl, I swear..." She placed her burgundy hat on her head. She looked herself over in the mirror. Not a hair out of place. Just the way she liked it. She smoothed down her dress, and looked at the phone one more time. She frowned at it. Another problem she'd have to fix. _But no matter_ , she smiled as she walked to the door. She was good at fixing problems.

* * *

Natsume Hyuuga was a playboy. With his raven hair, chiseled jaw, tall lean figure, and mysterious crimson eyes, he was regarded as the most handsome young man of Shirakawa Preparatory School by most of the female population. Girls seemed to sigh and melt at not so much as a fiery glance in their direction. And as the son of the mayor and first lady of Shirakawa, his social status and good looks made him one of the most sought after bachelors of the town. His mother, Kaoru, had countless times told him that he was of age to get engaged so he could get married as soon as he graduates. She always invited prominent people of the town to dinner, who just happened to have young, beautiful, unmarried daughters. Although she urged him to find someone, she had made clear that she should be a girl whose parents had status or money. Natsume continually assured her of his quest. "Don't worry mother. I will find the perfect woman for _both_ of us", to which she would frown at him whenever he said _for both of us_.

But Natsume being Natsume, at the way his eyes lingered at any attractive woman they encountered, had no plans to settle down anytime soon. He was a young lad of 19 for _god's sake_. One wasn't enough for him.

There were rumors going around the school that he took advantage of girls who confessed to him, getting what he wanted, and then leaving them crying and heartbroken. But those rumors never seemed to tarnish his reputation, nor stop the girls from flaunting after him. But the girls of Shirakawa Prep were forced to ogle him at a distance. Luna Koizumi had marked him. She had threatened to ruin the lives of any girl who dared flirt with her future husband. And being the daughter of the town's delegate, all the girls had taken that threat seriously.

And now, as the procession stood waiting for an announcement to continue the parade, Luna Koizumi leaned next to Natsume Hyuuga.

Natsume smirked down at her as she batted her eyelashes at him, twirling a curl around her finger. She bit her lip, and Natsume couldn't help but be slightly turned on by the action. Her lips began to move, but he didn't hear what came out of it, too entranced by her glossy pink lips. What it would feel like to take them into his own.

A throat cleared. Natsume glanced at his best friend, Tsubasa Andou, who motioned towards the other side of the bridge, where a slightly plump figure could be seen jogging towards the paraders. Mr. Koizumi was back.

Natsume looked back at Luna. "Your father is coming." He leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Let's continue this later..." He felt her body shiver against him, and smirked. He pulled back, but Luna lightly grabbed the collar of his uniform. "Meet me by the park during the party." She placed a kiss near the corner of his mouth. Letting go of him, she turned, flaunting her hips , as she made her way back to the front of the parade. Natsume stared after her.

"Close your mouth, Hyuuga. You're drooling." Tsubasa laughed at the glare his friend shot him.

Mr. Koizumi finally arrived before the procession, huffing and puffing, wiping the sweat from his brow. After a couple of seconds of catching his breath, he clapped his hands loudly, bringing chatter to a stop. "Alright, Ms. Yamazaki has arrived! You may proceed with the procession!" People began to clap and cheer at the news. "Alright, alright, get moving!"

The boys picked up their instruments, and the girls twirled their batons. Luna was the lead dancer this year, so she was the first face everyone was going to see. She flashed her white smile, and, along with all the girls behind her, began to jump and bounce to the beat of the percussion section. Soon, the parade began to march across the bridge, and into the town of Shirakawa.

As they entered the town, the onlookers began to clap and cheer. Flowers were being thrown around and the air was filled with merry laughter. As the band played their final notes, and the dancers spun their baton in the air one final time, the crowd breaking into a grand applause.

At the center of the square, sat a small podium where the important people of the town sat. One by one, they each got up and shared a few words about the town and the chocolate factory and _yada-yada-yada._ Natsume yawned out loud, and he felt Tsubasa lightly elbow his side. A few girls near them giggled. Natsume leaned back against a tree and pulled his uniform's hat over his face, smirking. "Wake me up when this is over."

It would be a while until the mayor finally stood up. Mayor Hyuuga was a ruggedly handsome man who stood at well over 6 feet of height. He wasn't much of a man for chit chat, instead he liked to get to the point. "Thank you all for your...kind words." He said looking back at his comrades seated at the podium. "And now I would like to call up Ms. Akuma Yamazaki, current head of the Chocolate Factory while her brother is away, up to the podium and accept this key..." he held a large key in his hand, the key to the city. "...as a gift in recognition of your family's continued support and commitment to this town. And for the chocolates!" The audience laughed and clapped at that.

Akuma Yamazaki graciously took the key into her own hands and began her own very long, very boring speech. Well...it would have been a very long speech if it weren't for the loud neighing that took everyone's attention away from the podium. People began to run and scream in every direction.

The sound broke Natsume from his reverie of seeing Luna wearing just a thin nightgown, and he looked annoyingly at the source of the commotion. He saw a horse pushing a wagon wildly bolting through the streets, knocking over tables and trampling the desserts. He then noticed that the horse was heading in the direction of the podium, where his father and others sat stunned.

He ran towards the horse, leapt up onto the wagon, grabbed the reigns and forcibly tugged them back, bringing the horse to an abrupt stop a few yards away from the podium. It was only then that he noticed a slight movement in the corner of his eyes. He slowly turned his head towards the driver...

* * *

"Excuse me, miss. We're nearing the station at Shirakawa. We'll be there in a few minutes." Mikan woke with start, expecting to see her father,only to be met with the cool face of the train conductor. At the mention of Shirakawa, Mikan remembered where she was going. And why. She nodded at the man and gave him a smile. "Thank you, sir."

The man continued on, looking for any other sleeping passengers to rouse. Mikan looked out the window, and thought about all that she had been through. Had it only been a few days since her father had woken her up to run away. She sighed sadly and leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window.

The whistle signaling their arrival broke through her reverie. She decided to wait until most of the passengers exited the train, looking out the window to see if she could catch a glimpse of her uncle. She had never met him before. He had moved out to Shirakawa when she was just a baby, and it was just too far to visit regularly. She had no idea what he looked like, although she'd assume he'd look somewhat like her dad. All she knew was his name. Narumi. Uncle Narumi. And that he lived with his mother (her grandmother) and cousin. She craned her neck to look over the bustling heads of the people pouring from the train. But it was futile, there were too many people. Mikan sighed. How was she supposed to find someone she didn't even know?

"Mikan!" Her head snapped back up at the sound of her name. "Are you Mikan? No?" Her eyes searched through the crowd to find the source. She zeroed in on a blonde man, going around to every young girl he saw. "So, sorry. Thought you might've been somebody else. Good day." Could this be her uncle? He didn't look anything like her father. He had been a brunette. And a lot shorter.

"Mikan!" She snapped out of her daze. How many other Mikans could there possibly be? She hurriedly put her glasses on and ran to the exit. The light breeze tickled her face as she emerged from the train. "Uncle Narumi, over here!"

The blonde man whirled around and looked around until his eyes landed on her. "Mikan!" He ran towards her. "Is it you?" "Yes, it's me. Mikan Sakura!" Here eyes stung as tears threatened to escape. Narumi embraced her, twirling her around.

He set her down and cupped her face, wiping away her tears. "My, my. You have grown into such a beautiful young woman. Much like your mother." He looked sadly at her. "I'm sorry for all that you've been through. Losing a mother. And now a father."

Mikan held herself together and smiled up at her uncle. "I know. I loved them both so much."

"We should get going." She followed him towards a horse-drawn wagon. He helped her up into her seat, besides him. He grabbed the reigns and gave them a push. The cart lurched forward and they were off.

Uncle Narumi began telling her about himself and his small farm where he lived with his mother Ayame, her cousin Sumire and a boy they adopted when he was young named Kokoro. About all the animals they had at the farm: chickens, horses, cows, and pigs to name a few. Mikan noticed a twinkle in his eyes when he told her about the chocolate factory where he worked as the head chocolate maker. "Shirakawa wouldn't be where she's at today if it weren't for the chocolate factory. Raises the price of land, brings in a lot of money, and gives the town its high social status. People love chocolate, you see. It makes them happy."

"Really?" Mikan never had chocolate before. Or any type of sweets for that matter. Her father could never afford it. "I've never had chocolate before."

"Never had chocolate?!" Narumi exclaimed. "Say no more, Mi-chan." He raised the reigns and brought them down once, urging the horse to move faster. "We'll go right by there. Aint noone there anyways. They'll be all at the parade."

"The parade?" Mikan wondered.

"Ah yes. To celebrate the town's elevated social status throughout Japan because of the factory's reputation, the town is throwing a festival, complete with a parade and lots of chocolate."

"I see", Mikan hung on to every word he said, wanting to learn more about the town and the factory.

"We're almost there...", uncle Narumi slowed down the wagon as they left the road and entered the town. Mikan's eyes widened as she took in the decorated buildings and the elegantly dressed people. The men wore suits and hats, and the women wore nice dresses, complete with flowered hats, and gloves. Some held parasols, to keep away from the sun's heat. Mikan looked down at her own dress. It was beige with buttons and lace. Old-fashioned. She felt a little out of place.

"Alright", Narumi stopped the wagon by a shady tree. He handed Mikan the reigns and jumped down off the wagon. "Here, take these. I'll run quick inside the factory and grab some chocolate for you to bring home and try." Mikan watched him walk away and then turned towards the front. A very large crowd gathered around the town square. She could see up ahead a nicely decorated podium, where a group of important-looking people sat, looking at their watches and looking disgruntled. An elegant carriage pulled up in front of the podium and a woman with an attractive burgundy dress stepped out, followed by a girl who looked around Mikan's age, with long blonde hair. The woman hit her purse against the girl's back, and the girl straightened her shoulders and walked more uprightly.

The people at the podium began to clap at the arrival of this woman, while a man quickly left and walked briskly away. After a few minutes, he was back and noticeably out of breath, collapsing into his chair. Then loud noises began to fill the air as trumpets, drums, and marching could be heard from the direction the man had gone earlier.

Mikan had to crane her neck higher to see the group of players and dancers marching into the town. She could see a girl at the front of the group, dancing while spinning batons in her hands. She had shoulder-length blonde hair that was curled and she was very beautiful. Mikan touched her hair, that was held up in a series of braids across her head. Again, she felt conscious of her appearance when looking at these women.

The group did a couple of rounds around the town square, all the while still playing and dancing. The people sitting and standing inside the float waved at the crowd and the crowd clapped and cheered back. Mikan couldn't help but let go of the reigns and join the clapping, smiling widely. She had never seen anything like this before. After the music died down, she saw the people at the podium each getting up to speak to the audience. She listened intently as they spoke about the history of the town and the chocolate factory. _That must be where uncle Narumi works!_ she thought happily. Finally, the woman who had arrived earlier in the carriage went up and everyone clapped.

A loud neighing startled Mikan and the horse suddenly stood up in its rear legs and charged forward, pushing the wagon with it. She grasped at the reigns as the cart rode towards the town square. People screamed and ran away from the horse's path. Mikan screamed right along with them. She didn't know what to do. "Mikan! Mikan!" She could hear uncle Narumi calling out to her. "Uncle Narumi!"

Her eyes widened as she saw that the horse was going right in the direction of the podium. The important-looking people all looked with wide eyes at the wild horse charging towards them and the distraught girl's futile attempt to pull the horse back. Tables with chocolate and foods were knocked over and trampled as the horse neared the podium. Mikan closed her eyes tightly.

Suddenly, Mikan heard a heavy thud and the reigns she was tightly grasping was ripped from her hands. She opened her eyes just in time to see the horse stop a few feet from the podium. Her chest heaved at the thought of what almost happened. Her shaking hands were grasping the side of the wagon, her knuckles turning white. She looked into the wide, surprised eyes of the people in the podium, standing just a few yards away. Then, Mikan turned to see who had managed to jump into a fast moving wagon and stop the horse from colliding into the podium. She first saw raven hair blowing in the breeze and the red and white uniform he wore. His chest heaved and sweat gleamed from the side of his face. When his face turned towards hers, Mikan couldn't help but gasp when their eyes met.

All she saw was blood.

* * *

Thank you once again for reading! If you'd like to, please review. Tell me what you guys would like to see in future chapters. I have an idea on how I want the story to go, but I don't have the whole thing mapped out. Enjoy your week, until next Friday!

To last chapter's reviewers:

 **Guest 1** : Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked last week's chapter. Hope you enjoy this as well! Much love ^^

 **SoreninParis:** Wow, I don't really think of myself as a good action scene writer either but I tried! Super happy that I was able to translate the urgency and seriousness of the situation into words. But I know I definitely need to work on my dialogues, it's my weakest spot! I don't really watch telenovelas...the one that this fanfiction is based on is the only one I ever watched (from when I was like 7 and that was a long while ago). But I've had tons and tons of friends telling me to start watching Korean soap operas because apparently they're really good. I haven't gotten around to watching any, but I hope I'll be able to soon! Again, thank you so much for your review. It was lovely *o*

 **Guest 2** : Thank you! Glad you find it exciting. I hope this chapter is as exciting for you as the first one. Well...maybe not as much action but I hope you like it either way. :D

 **Guest 3** : *u* Thank you for your review. I really appreciate it. Hopefully you continue to enjoy!


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